Single-chip GPS receiver slashes power budget

SiGe Semiconductor has entered the global positioning by satellite market with its PointCharger family of GPS devices.

SiGe Semiconductor has entered the global positioning by satellite market with its PointCharger family of GPS devices.

The first product to be sampling from the line of components is the PointCharger SE4100 integrated receiver IC, which delivers benchmark levels of power consumption and integration to enable smaller, less expensive, and longer battery powered operation of peripheral devices used for automotive vehicle location (AVL), covert tracking, security, cellular, PDA, and personal navigation systems.

The SE4100 integrates the IF filter, VCO, tank circuitry and LNA into a compact, 4mmsq package with a typical current draw of 10mA from a 2.7V supply.

Integrating the complete receiver chain onto a single device substantially lowers the bill of materials compared to most commercially available radios, thereby reducing cost and form factor, while easing assembly, manufacture and test.

The silicon germanium based device exhibits the industry's lowest power consumption for a GPS radio with this level of integration - about one-third the current draw of competing bipolar solutions.

The extremely low power consumption, high performance LNA and very low external component count allow the device to be very cost effectively implemented in portable devices where the GPS antenna is in the same enclosure.

"Our silicon raises the bar for power consumption and integration", said Jim Derbyshire, president and CEO, SiGe Semiconductor.

"As part of our strategy, we are also aggressively partnering with baseband and software providers to ensure seamless interfaces and easy implementation.

These benefits translate into substantial savings for our customers, and enable them to quickly and effectively bring systems to market that support evolving requirements for cost, battery life and portability".

The new SE4100 GPS receiver IC incorporates performance enhancing features, including an on-chip switchable gain LNA that delivers very low noise figure of 1.3dB typical, as well as quick recovery from either power saving mode or from an RF overload from a local transmitter.

The device delivers a digital 4.092MHz output suitable for industry-standard GPS baseband solutions.

When paired with many leading baseband circuits, the whole system consumes less than 120mW in continuous operation.

The SE4100 also supports further intelligent power saving modes offered by its companion baseband chips.

This performance, coupled with low external component count and small package, make the SE4100 an ideal companion for baseband chips that combine GPS positioning with a simple user application and control of a cellular modem, thereby enabling portable personal tracking and navigation applications.

SE4100 optimises performance for AVL applications The PointCharger SE4100 is designed specifically to meet the requirements of covert and always-on applications, where power has to be supplied or backed up from a source separate from the main battery.

In aftermarket automotive devices, such as tracking systems or alarms, the already low power consumption of the GPS radio can be switched off completely or left with just its oscillator running providing clock for the baseband chip.

There is also an antenna detect function included in the design that can alert a user to a missing or shorted antenna.

The SE4100 is well suited to railway or other transport applications where the only power source is a solar cell and rechargeable battery.

Roadmap supports emerging requirements for integrated cellular/GPS systems The SE4100 is the first in a series of PointCharger GPS devices in development to support the expanding GPS market.

The immediate opportunity for automotive and handheld navigation equipment is rapidly expanding in scope, driven by new requirements for GPS capability in cellular phones.

SiGe Semiconductor's combination of advanced receiver ICs, and partnerships with baseband and software vendors will provide the lowest cost, power consumption and form factor for these applications.

The SE4100 is sampling to customers now, supplied with extensive literature, and supported by SiGe's team of applications design engineers.

The device is packaged in a 24-pin LPCC package that measures 4 x 4mm.

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